Certain utility companies are experiencing stains on their distribution systems as well as shortage in electrical generating capacity due to increasing customer demand for electricity. For example, the advent of plug-in electric vehicles is bringing with it increased demand. In certain situations, utility companies are becoming more concerned not only with their ability to meet their customers' demand for electricity during peak demand hours but also the additional stress that is being placed on their equipment, most notably local transformers that they will have to endure such stress.
Increasing electrical generating capacity to meet the shortfall can be difficult due to increasing fuel prices. As a result, utility companies can be forced to buy electricity to meet their customers' demands. If peak demand hours can be reduced, then utility companies and their customers can realize a potential cost savings, and the peak load that the utility companies have to accommodate can also be lessened. But simply increasing supply may not fully address the additional stress placed on local equipment including local transformers.
Certain energy management systems include features for deactivating power consuming devices during the on-peak hours. Such energy management systems can determine when variable electricity-pricing schemes go into effect via schedules published by utility companies and inputted by customers or via signals sent by utility companies, e.g., over a wireless network or through a phone network, directly to the energy management systems. However, inputting schedules manually can be tedious and time consuming. Similarly, energy management systems relying upon utility company input to function properly can function improperly if the utility company fails to deliver the schedules as expected. Alternative energy management plans provide systems and methods with time of use (TOU) and/or demand response management systems (DRMS) energy programs.
There is a need to provide a system that can automatically operate power consuming devices in order to reduce consumer's electric bills and also to reduce the load on generating plants and local equipment including local transformers during peak hours. Active and real time communication of energy costs of appliances to the consumer may enable informed choices of operating the power consuming functions of the appliance but in many instances consumers may not be present to make necessary usage adjustments or may simply ignore provided information.
In view of these and other issues, there is a need to provide an improved system that can enable automatic control of power consuming devices during a DRMS event, and thus, provide opportunity for utility companies to better meet the needs of their customers while limiting stress placed on their own equipment.